Folding box adjusting means for wrapping machines



Oct. 8, 1957 M. M. GUGGENHEIM FOLDING BOX ADJUSTING MEANS FOR WRAPPINGMACHINES Filed May 19, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 t w W. v 4 I m Q o n wbw.mm m. mm WW u k IIII Ni u m H aw \\k w M u h m F v r k vw g Mm W 4 \N Ynl N f.|..|||| R QM 7N ||m v% 5 .wm

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FOLDING BOX AD IUSTING MEANS FOR WRAPPING MACHINES filed May 19, 1955 4Sheets- Sheet 4 g & T -HLN! T h um Q o I I SQ g; x I l INVENTOR. Q; 324;772/, E genial/77v n B 0 N i A FOLDING BOX ADJUSTING MEANS FOR WRAPPINGMACHINES Max M.- Guggenheim, New York, N. Y., assignor to N ationalEquipment Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication May 19, 1955, Serial No. 509,479

12 Claims. (Cl. 53-393) This invention relates to wrapping machines, andmore particularly to that type of machine which is adapted for thewrapping of boxes or other similarly-shaped articles in thin sheetmaterial such as cellophane. An example of the type of machine to whichthe present invention relates will be found in the co-pendingapplication of Philip G. Schlemmer, Serial No. 412,721, filed February26, 1954.

Most machines adapted for the wrapping of boxes and like articles areprimarily designed for the wrapping of boxes or like articles of a givensize, and although provision is sometimes made in the machines by whichsuch machines can be altered or modified to accommodate boxes ofdifferent sizes, the transition from boxes of one size to others ofdifferent sizes is usually one which requires the services of an expertmechanic, the substitution or interchange of parts or differentmechanisms, or else requires time-consuming and expensive alterationswhich involve delay and often result in periods of idleness for themachine.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide, in awrapping machine of this character, a simplified means by which thewrapping mechanism, or that part of the machine which is generally knownin this art as the folding box, can be adjusted speedily, easily andaccurately by the manipulation of handwheels to thus enable the foldingbox to be accommodated to boxes of various sizes to be wrapped.

It is an object of the invention to provide adjustment means as abovedescribed, which will be operative solely by hand operation and withoutrequiring the adjustment by tools or exchange of machine parts, andwhich will not materially delay the operation of the machine whenchanging from one box size to another.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of theinvention is disclosed,

' Fig. 1 is a cross sectional View through a machine constructed inaccordance with the invention, with numerous parts omitted to moreclearly disclose those features which form the subject matter of thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a continuation of the lower left-handend of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus, with certain parts thereofshown in section;

Fig. 4 is a continuation of the left end of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of the sprocketsand the continuous chain in engagement with the same;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 6--6 ofFigs. 3 and 4, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 7 is a continuation of the right-hand end of Fig. 6.

In a machine of the character to which the present invention relates,the wrapping material, which may be cellophane or other suitable sheetmaterial, is generally severed into proper lengths, or cut into separatesheets from a supply roll, and the severed sheets are then conveyed to aposition above the boxes to be wrapped. The boxes are successivelyelevated by suitable elevating nited States Patent mechanism and eachbox is brought up against one of the sheets of wrapping material, whichis partially wrapped about the box by the elevating movement of thesame. The wrapping of the sheet around the box continues as the box andits wrapper are moved through a folding mechanism, or so-called foldingbox, and near the outlet end, heat is applied to the overlapped endparts of the wrapper to seal the same. The wrapped box then emerges fromthe apparatus and is received upon a travelling belt or other conveyingdevice which carries it to a point of removal. The present inventionrelates to the means by which the folding box is regulated in eifectivesize to thereby enable boxes of different lengths and heights to bewrapped, and which changes in the'folding box are effected with aminimum of effort and without the use of tools.

Referring to the drawings, 40 generally indicates one of the side framesof the machine, and 28 indicates generally the opposite side framethereof, the side frames being suitably spaced apart and braced inproper relation, one of the brace or cross members therefor being seenat 42 in Figs. 1 and 6, and another similar brace being seen at 43 inFig. 6. Mounted on the side frame 28 are bearings respectively indicatedat 27 and 32. One end of a threaded shaft 26 is rotative in the bearing27 and an end of a similar threaded shaft 31 (Fig. 4) is rotative in thebearing 32. The opposite end of the threaded shaft 31 is mounted in abearing, not shown, but similar to that seen at 32 and located on theframe member 40, and said end of-shaft 31 is manually rotated by a handwheel 94 (Fig. 4) through a chain-engaging sprocket 41 on shaft 31 andby which the shaft 31 is manually rotated to cause the sides of thefolding box to be moved either toward or away from one another asrequired, by means to-be described.

The threaded shaft 26 has its second end rotative in a bearing, notshown, on the frame member 40, and said shafts 26 and 31 are rotated inunison when the shaft 31 is manually rotated by turning the handwheelcoupled to it. Each of the threaded shafts 26 and 31' hasoppositely-threaded portions as indicated respectively at 45 and 46.Threadable on the threads 45 of these shafts is alongitudinally-extending bar 20. Threadably mounted on the threads 46 isa similar longitudinallyextending bar 21. These two bars are arrangedparallel to one another and by the simultaneous rotation of the twothreaded shafts 26 and 31, the two bars 20-and 21.

will be moved either to or from one another to thereby bring the sidesof the folding box toward or away from one another to compensate forboxes of the various sizes to be wrapped by the machine.

To aid in maintaining parallelism between-the two bars 20 and 21, andthe parts carried thereby, the bar 2(9 carries bosses indicatedrespectively at 22 and 24 through which guide rods, indicatedrespectively at 23 and 25, are slidable, the rods being secured at oneend in the bosses indicated respectively at 49 and 50 which are attachedto the bar 21 by the screws 51a. This telescopic arrangement of theparts 22 and 23 and 24 and-25 acts to guide the two bars 20 and 21 to orfrom one another while maintaining said barsin parallelism.

The arrangement justdescribed is such that by manipulation of thehandwheel 90 coupled to the shaft 31, said shaft will be rotated andthrough means to be described and by which its rotation is transmittedto shaft 26, the latter shaft will be similarly rotated and hence thebars 20 and 21 will be caused to be adjusted to or from one another.Thus the parts attached to these bars and carrying foldinginstrumentalities and forming the sides of the folding box, can besuitably adjusted. r

Secured by bolts 51 to the bar 20 is a pair of substantially O-shapedbrackets 36, and a pair of similar brackets 37 are'secured by the bolts52m the bar 21. Each of the brackets 36 and 37 carries a rotatablevertical threaded shaft 2, and these shafts 2 threadably carry bars 1which carry arms39, on which elements 54, forming part of the foldingbox, are supported. It will be apparent that by raising and lowering ofthe barsi with the arms .39 and' folding box elements carried thereby,the foldingbox will become adjusted for the heightof the boxes to bewrapped. The four threaded vertical shafts'2 are rotated in unison bythe turning of a handwheel 8 secured on a shaft 6 rotatively mounted inthe arm 7 of one of the brackets 37 It is therefore obvious that whenthe shaft'6is rotated by manualmanipulationof the handwheel 8; the fourshaftsZ and 2a, will be rotated and the elements 1', 39 and 54 will beraised or lowered as required to regulate theeffective height of thefolding box.

In order to avoid the formation of slack in the chain 15, means isprovided to compensate for changes in the distance between the two bars2%! and 21 as they are adjusted to or from one another. Secured to thecross bars 42 and 43 is abed plate 60, and adjacent to one end ofsaid'plate is a pair of vertical spindles 61 and'62 carrying the idlersprockets indicated at and'lZ. To-

ward the opposite end of the bed plate 60 are located the spindles 63and 64 which respectively carry the idler sprockets 9 and 11. At'3tl isshown a lengthy horizontally-extending shaft, which is guided at acentral point through a guide bracket'65 secured'by the bolts 66 to theupperface ofthe bed plate 60. Adjacent to its opposite ends, the'shaft34) is oppositely-threaded as indicated respectively at' 67'and 68. Thethreaded part 68 of the shaft'30 threadably engages with aninternallythreaded bracket 70 provided with adjustable nuts. Thus,

when the shaft 30 is rotated, the bracket 70 will be moved' right orleft 'as required'to take up slack in the chain 15. Extending downwardlyfrom the bracket 7 0 is a cylindrical portion 71 which travels back andforth in a slot 72 formed in the bedplate 60. A' stud shaft 72,extending downwardly from the portion 71 of the bracket 70; carries atake-up sprocket 14 around which the chain 'extends as clearly shown inFig. 5.

At 73 is shown another slidably-rnounted bracket, similar in manyrespects to that shown at 70, and having the downwardly-extendedcylindrical part 74 movable in the slot 75 formedin the bed plate andalso provided with the stud shaft 76 on which the sprocket 13'iscarried. The chain 15 also extends around the sprocket 13as clearlyindicated in'Fig. 5. At one end'of the bed plate 6!} is mounted abearing bracket 77 containing the bearing 78 in which an end of theshaft is mounted. The opposite end of the shaft 30 is supported in abearing 79 mounted in the bearing bracket 86 mounted on the bed plate69. Mounted on that end of the'shaft 30'which issituated adjacent to thebearing bracket 77 in a spiral gear in mesh with a co-operating gear zisecured on the cross shaft 26. At the opposite end of the shaft 30 issecured a spiral gear 34 in mesh with a co-operating gear 33 secured onthe cross shaft 31.

From the foregoing, the operationof the disclosed apparatus will bereadily understood. When it is desired to adjust the spacing between thesides of the folding box, or in other words, to bring the supportingbrackets which carry the side elements of the folding box either towardor away from one another, the handwheel 90 is rotated .in the requireddirection. This will rotate shaft 31 and through the rotation of gear 33and the engagement of gear 34 thereby, the shaft 30 will be rotated andsaid shaft will accordingly rotate shaft 26 through meshed 4 gears 35and 29, so that both the shafts 26 and 31 will be uniformly rotated andthe bars 20 and 21, carrying the brackets 36 and 37 will be moved towardor away from one another. When the shaft 30 is rotated it willaccordingly move the brackets 70 and 73 toward or away from one another,thus maintaining the tautness of the chain 15 under all conditions.Thatis to say, when the bars 20 and 2lare moved toward one another, thetwo sprockets 14 and 13 carried respectively by the brackets 76 and 73,will move toward one another. On the other hand, when the bars 20 and21"are moved away from one another, the two sprockets 13 and 14 willmove away from one another, thus constantly maintaining the tautness ofthe chain 15..

When it is desired to raise or lower the bars 1, carrying theinstrumentalities which comprisethe top of the folding box, thehandwheel 8 is rotated and this will cause rotation of shaft 2a, which,through the chain connection 15 between the four sprockets 3, will causerotative movement of the four shafts 2 and 2a and result in at raisingor lowering of the bars '1 and parts carried thereby.

By means of the-apparatus herein described, it will be apparent that thefolding box will be readily adjustable to accommodate it for variousboxsizes and which adjustment is attained solely by hand-wheel operation,and accordingly, the machine can be readily adapted to boxes of varioussizes without delay required by a change of parts. 7

Having described a single embodiment of the invention, it is obviousthat the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough tocover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a folding box in whichthe sides of said boxare defined by elements carried by brackets movabletoward or away from one another to thereby regulate the width of thebox,

- a threaded'rotatable shaft for causing movement of the bracketstowardor away from one another, a threaded shaft rotative in eachbracket for regulating the height of the folding box, a drivingconnection between the several bracket-supported shafts, said drivingconnection including a chain, and means by which said chain ismaintained in a predetermined tensioned condition regardless of theposition of the bracketsrelative to one another.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality ofsupports'for the side elements of a folding box, means on said supportsfor regulating the position of top elements'of the folding box, saidmeans including a vertical, rotated threaded shaft in each support, eachof said shafts carrying a sprocket, a chain extending between thesprockets whereby the rotation of one of said shafts will cause asimilar rotation of the remaining shafts, means for adjustably movingsome of the supports to ward or away from the other supports, and meansfor maintaining the chain under a predetermined tension regardless ofthe adjustment of the supports toward or away from one another.

3. In an apparatus of the chanacter described, a folding box in whichthe sides of said box are defined by elements carried by bracketsmovable toward or away from one another to thereby regulate the width ofthe box, a plurality of threaded rotatable shafts for causingmovement ofthe brackets toward or away from one another, manually-operated meansfor simultaneously rotating said shafts, athreaded vertical sh aftrotative in eachbracket for regulating the effectiveheight of thefolding box, a driving connection between the several vertical shafts,said driving connection including a sprocket on each shaft and a chainextending between the sprockets, and means by which some of thesprockets are movable when the brackets are moved to thereby maintainthe chain in a predetermined tensioned condition regardless of the.position of the brackets relative to one another.

4. In an apparatus of; the character described; a plurality of supports.forthe.-side.'elements..of a: foldingz'box,

means on said supports for regulating the position of top elements ofthe folding box, said means including a vertical, rotated threaded shaftin each bracket, each of said shafts carrying a sprocket below thebracket, a continuous chain extending between the sprockets whereby themanual rotation of one of said shafts will cause a similar rotation ofthe remaining shafts, means for adjustably moving some of the bracketstoward or away from the other brackets, a pair of movable sprocketsengaging the chain and caused to move toward one another when thesupports are moved toward one another, said movable sprockets beingmoved away from one another when the supports are moved away from oneanother, and means for moving the sprockets to maintain the chain undera predetermined tension regardless of the adjustment of the bracketstoward or away from one another.

5. An adjusting means for the folding box of a wrapping machinecomprising, two pairs of spaced brackets for supporting the sideelements of the folding box, means for adjusting the pairs of bracketseither toward or away from one another, means on the brackets forsupporting the top elements of the folding box, said means includingvertical shafts adapted for rotative movement in the brackets, each ofsaid shafts carrying a sprocket, a chain extended around the severalsprockets and cansing a rotative movement of all of the vertical shaftswhen one is rotated, and means operative to maintain the chain in a tautcondition in all positions of adjustment of the pairs of bracketsrelative to one another.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, spaced supports for theside elements of a folding box, means by which the supports are adjustedtoward or away from one another, means on said supports for raising orlowering the top elements of the folding box, said means includingrotative elements in the supports, a chain connection establishing adrive between the rotative elements to thereby rotate the same, andmeans operative on the chain connection to take up slack therein whenthe supports are adjustably moved toward one another.

7. In apparatus as. provided for in claim 6, wherein the supportsconsist of substantially C-shaped brackets, the rotative elements insaid brackets consisting of threaded shafts on which the top elements ofthe folding box are threadably adjustable by rotative movement of saidthreaded shafts within the brackets, sprockets on said threaded shafts,the chain extending continuously between said sprockets, theslack-adjusting means including movable take-up sprockets, and meansoperative to move said take-up sprockets toward or away from one anotherto take up slack in the chain, which sprocketmoving means is operated bymeans which adjusts the supports toward or away from one another.

8. In an apparatus for adjusting the folding box of a wrapping machine,supports for the side elements of the folding box, means on saidsupports for holding and adjusting the top elements of the folding box,said means including vertically-disposed, rotative, threaded shafts,sprockets carried by said shafts, one of the shafts being manuallyrotative, a chain extending between the sprockets whereby all of theshafts will be rotated together when one of the same is manuallyrotated, adjusting means by which the supports can be brought toward ormoved away from one another, said adjusting means including rotativeshafts having a driving connection between them whereby the manualrotation of one of said shafts will rotate the other, and means drivenfrom the last-mentioned rotative shafts for taking up slack in the chainas the supports are moved in a direction toward one another.

9. An adjusting means for the folding box of a wrapping machinecomprising two pairs of spaced brackets for supporting the side elementsof the folding box, means for adjusting the pairs of brackets eithertoward or away from one another, means on the brackets for supportingthe top elements of the folding box, said means including a verticalshaft adapted for rotative movement in each of the brackets, each ofsaid shafts carrying a sprocket below the bracket, a continuous chainextended around the several sprockets and causing a similar simultaneousrotative movement of all of the vertical shafts when one of them isrotated, and a pair of movable sprockets operative to maintain the chainin a taut condition in all positions of adjustment of the pairs ofbrackets relative to one another, said sprockets being movable bymovement of the adjusting means for the brackets.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, supports for the sideelements of a folding box, a screw feed by which said supports are movedtoward or away from one another to thereby regulate the width of thefolding box, rotative elements carried by the supports for regulatingthe effective height of the folding box, a single drive chain extendingbetween the rotative elements to enable the same to be simultaneouslyrotated upon manual rotation of one of such elements, and meanscontrolled by the screw feed and by which the drive chain is maintainedagainst slackening While the supports are moved toward or away from oneanother.

11. In an apparatus as provided for in claim 10 wherein the chainslack-prevention means consists of a pair of movable sprockets engagingwith the chain, and means by which the pivots of the sprockets are movedtoward or away from one another as the supports are moved toward or awayfrom one another.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, a pair of spaced bars,screw shafts having oppositely-threaded sections in respectivethreadable engagement with the bars, means for manually rotating one ofthe screw shafts, means for communicating the rotation of the firstscrew shaft to the second screw shaft, each of said screw shaftscarrying a gear, a shaft disposed at right angles to the screw shaftsand carrying gears in mesh with those on the screw shafts, a pair ofsprockets having mountings in threadable engagement with the shaft andcaused to be moved toward or away from each other by rotation of saidshaft, brackets carried by the bars, screwthreaded posts carried by thebrackets for raising and lowering upper folding box elements, sprocketson said posts, and a chain extended around said sprockets and aroundthose borne by the mountings.

No references cited.

